1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the field of instrument positioning and more particularly to clamping an instrument at a desired location while maintaining the ability to easily align and remove it.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In feedback control systems comparisons are made between a control signal and a command signal. The instrument used to effect this comparison is generically called an error detector, because it usually subtracts the two signals, thus producing a difference, or error, signal. One such error detector is a synchro. A synchro transmitter is a transformer having one winding (rotor) rotatable with respect to a second winding (stator). When properly energized, the relative position of the rotor to the stator establishes a set of stator output signals which describe accurately the angular position of its shaft with respect to the stator. Thus, if the stator is positioned to define a reference for angular positions of the rotor shaft, the stator output signals may be utilized to establish the angular position of the rotor shaft relative to the selected reference.
In the prior art a synchro transmitter was clamped in position by three screws, with a D clamp washer on each, passed through screw holes equiangularly positioned in a flange of the synchro transmitter casing and screwed into the mounting surface. In many applications the synchro transmitter is positioned such that at least one of the screws is difficult to access. This access difficulty makes the synchro difficult to install, adjust, and replace.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a clamping mechanism which facilitates the installment, adjustment, and replacement of a synchro regardless of its physical location.